A small portion of Medicare beneficiaries account for half of Medicare spending, and forty percent of that spending is due to persistent high spending on serious illness, according to the National Academy of Medicine (formerly Institute of Medicine). Resources are limited and there is pressure to reduce healthcare spending.

Allina Health is addressing this by integrating lay health care workers, known as care guides, into existing care teams. LifeCourse care guides offer patients long-term person-centered support in their home. LifeCourse integrates palliative care principles into serious illness care to support what matters most to patients. Studies show that the LifeCourse approach positively affects patients’ quality of life, experience and medical costs